Perfectionism and explicit self-esteem: The moderating role of implicit self-esteem

ISSN： 1529-8868

Source： Self and Identity, Vol.6, Iss.2-3, 2007-04, pp. : 137-153

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

It has recently been proposed that individuals with discrepant low self-esteem (i.e., low explicit self-esteem but high implicit self-esteem) may be characterized as possessing a glimmer of hope (Spencer, Jordan, Logel, & Zanna, 2005). That is, these individuals may exhibit more optimism and less self-protection than is typically seen among individuals with low self-esteem. Consistent with the glimmer of hope hypothesis, we proposed that individuals with discrepant low self-esteem would report relatively high levels of perfectionism. The results of the present study support this prediction: Among individuals with low explicit self-esteem, those with high implicit self-esteem reported higher levels of maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism. Overall, the results suggest that the inclusion of implicit self-esteem enhances our understanding of the relationship between perfectionism and explicit self-esteem.